


Finding You (Again)

by rosesgonerogue



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Happy Ending, I know my summary is poorly written but I just finished a semester of grad school, Kidnapping, Married Marinette and Damian
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:21:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28133859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosesgonerogue/pseuds/rosesgonerogue
Summary: After a particularly nasty fight with her husband, Marinette goes on a walk to clear her head. On her way, she finds a woman she's never seen before. That woman turns out to be Talia al Ghul, Marinette's mother-in-law she had never met. Talia claims that it's time for Damian to return and take his rightful place as the heir to the League of Shadows, and Marinette will serve as that catalyst. Marinette is abducted, and Damian has a month to find her before she's killed.
Relationships: Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Damian Wayne
Comments: 18
Kudos: 135





	1. Chapter 1

“Make way guys, out of the way!” Dick bellowed from the entrance of the batcave. “Alfred, we need you!” 

Marinette, jostled in his arms with every step, tried to liberate herself from her brother-in-law’s iron grip. “Calm down, I’m fine.” 

“No offense bug, but I just watched you get crushed by a steel beam. Alfred is checking you over.” 

“Tikki, spots,” Marinette said, as he deposited her on a cot. “See, not a bruise on me. I only jumped in to save that kid because I knew I would be fine. I’ve been eaten by a t-rex before, I was perfectly safe.” 

“You  _ what _ ?” Damian demanded darkly. 

“Dames! How was your patrol?” Marinette asked, grinning at the sight of her husband. 

“What just happened to you on patrol?” Damian demanded. 

“Dick is overreacting. I know it can be kind of… unsettling to see things like that, but the Miraculous suits are nearly indestructible. Only another Miraculous or some type of magic could hurt me while I’m suited up.” 

She leaned in to kiss Damian’s cheek, but his face was stone. 

“Are any of those Miraculous things up for grabs?” Jason asked, pulling off his helmet.

“Not for you,” Marinette scoffed. “And don’t worry, Dames. Dick is overreacting, the beam barely made contact with me. I was just making sure it fell safely.’ 

“Hold up, hold up,” Tim said, actually turning away from the computer. “You redirected a steel beam? Just with your strength alone? How strong does your suit make you?” 

“I haven’t actually ever tested it, that could be interesting,” Marinette contemplated, handing Tikki a cookie. “But I’m stronger than I was when I first started out as Ladybug.” 

“Part of it is because you’ve worked with me for so long - we’ve grown together. But you’re stronger than any other Miraculous use can be because you’re also the Guardian,” Tikki said. “Alfred, these cookies are amazing.” 

While Alfred began examining Marinette, he chattered with Tikki about his baking methods. Dick was telling an overly dramatized version of the night’s events while Tim theorized exactly what Marinette could be capable of. All that was missing was the last few members of the family, all occupied with their own business. Marinette leaned back on the examination table, content with the daily she’d married into. 

“-and if she were facing a metahuman with enhanced strength-”

“Drake, will you do us all a favor and shut your idiotic mouth?” Damian snapped, his voice dripping with acid. 

“That was out of line,” Marinette said, straightening up. “He’s just having fun, Damian.” 

“Just having fun? Were you just having fun when you threw yourself under a steel beam today? Or how about last week, when Killer Croc almost ripped off your leg?” Damian spat. “Oh, and the week before when your  _ heart literally stopped because you stepped in front of Mr. Freeze?” _

“Whoa, whoa, hang on,” Marinette said, standing to really face her husband. “That’s uncalled for, Dames. What’s with all of the hostility?”

“ _ What’s with all of the hostility? _ Every week I have to see or hear about some way my wife almost died. You have absolutely no sense of self-preservation and that makes the rest of us worry about you, which makes you a liability.” 

“ _ Excuse me?” _ she demanded, uncaring of the awkward silence between the rest of the family. “A liability? I know exactly what I am capable of, Damian Wayne. In case you forgot, I had a life and a hero career before you.  _ Long _ before you.” 

“But this isn’t magical butterflies, Marinette, this is the real world!” Damian shouted, ripping off his domino mask. “People die here, and we don’t all have a Miraculous to save our asses. You rely on Tikki, but how do you know she won’t fail, or time out too early? Without her you’d be dead.” 

Marinette’s eyes were wide and burning with rage, but Tikki was the first to speak, her tiny body radiating with fury. 

“You have  _ no idea _ what Marinette has gone through to get here. She is the most capable Ladybug and Guardian that I’ve ever seen, and that means more than you’ll ever know.” 

Looking back at his wife, Damian could see more hurt than anger in her eyes. He felt a pang now that his panic from hearing Dick’s story had died down, but it was too late. When he should have expressed concern and care for his wife, he’d let anger take over. A firm stubbornness rose in him, and when his wife’s eyes met his, he levelled his gaze at her, unwilling to take his words back. 

Glaring at him, when she spoke Marinette’s voice was thick with unshed tears. “Well, I formally apologize for the liability I’ve been all this time. If you’ll excuse me, I have commissions to work on.”

She shoved past him, leaving the silent Wayne clan behind. Her back was straight and her stride was measured - none of them could have guessed that silent, angry tears ran down her cheeks. Outside the weather was terrible, the wind howling through Gotham’s streets. 

Walking silently for blocks, Tikki flitted around her nervously, using the terrible weather as a cover - not that there was anyone really on the streets to notice her. Finally the two ducked into an alley where Marinette collapsed against a brick wall. 

“He’s wrong, Marinette,” she finally said indignantly. “Damian’s worried for you, but he also has no idea what it takes to hold a Miraculous.” 

“Am I just a liability, Tikki?” Marinette asked, running a hand through her hair. “Am I just making things worse for the entire family?” 

“Marinette, no! You’ve saved them plenty of times, and don’t you dare wonder if I’m what makes you special. We’ve been together for so long  _ because  _ you’re special,” Tikki said firmly. 

The Guardian sniffed, sagging a little. “Thanks, Tikki. I guess I really should go work on those commissions like I said I would, which means I need to go home.” 

“Only after you’ve eaten the rest of Damian’s favorite ice cream,” the kwami said. 

“After all of the morality speeches you gave me in Paris, I had no idea you had this mischievous streak in you. I think Plagg is finally rubbing off on you after all of these centuries.” 

Tikki smiled. “Only when someone hurts my Ladybug.”

Smiling faintly herself, Marinette pushed herself up while Tikki situated herself in Marinette’s purse. Talking to Damian wouldn’t be fun, but they would figure things out - they always did. Besides, they only fought because her husband was worried for her wellbeing. So, Marinette made her way towards their home, one of the safest neighborhoods in all of Gotham. She could almost see the old Colonial-style house when they saw a woman standing on the sidewalk. 

She was just standing there under the streetlamp, the light emphasizing how angular her features were, if not exaggerating them. With the way the woman stared at Marinette, it was clear that she would speak to them, and there was really no way to get home without crossing the woman’s path. As much as she didn’t want to, Marinette decided to bite the bullet and speak first. “Excuse me,  _ Madame, _ can I help you?”

Nothing in her posture changed, but glittering eyes assessed Marinette critically. “So you’re the little French fashion designer? I can’t say I’m impressed. I always had much… higher aims for my son.”

With those words Marinette felt her blood freeze in her veins. So this was Talia al Ghul. She’d heard stories of the woman, but she always hoped not to become involved with her at all. 

She couldn’t back down. Marinette met her mother-in-law’s eyes without flinching, hand snaking to her back pocket for her phone. 

“Don’t try it, little girl. You and I are going to play a game. It’s called ‘how much does Damian love you?’”

“It’s tempting, but I think I need to pass,” Marinette said. 

At that, Marinette viciously kicked forward, hitting Talia right in the knee. She didn’t try to watch the result, sprinting forward with all of her energy - she only had to make it to-

There was a sharp prick in the back of her neck, and Marinette felt her legs give out from underneath her. She heard Talia limping over. 

“Maybe you’re not completely hopeless, but you were never going to win this. Now let me explain the rules of the game to you.” 

Marinette wanted to protest, to scream until someone came, but she couldn’t even prop herself up on her arms. Even more alarmingly, black was slowly overtaking her vision. 

“Dear little Damian has a month to find you. If he doesn’t, I get to kill you and use it as a means to get the information I need. Now sleep well, darling. You’ll need it.” 


	2. Chapter 2

Damian

He hadn’t actually meant to say those things to Marinette. When Dick had burst in carrying her, his mind had gone to all of the worst case scenarios. How could he live with himself if Marinette was seriously hurt, or even worse, killed? She was too gentle, too precious to be sacrificed for Gotham’s sake. 

Of course, he couldn’t bring himself to express any of that. Damian was angry, angry at what could have happened to his wife, and angry at his wife for putting herself into the situation in the first place. A part of him wanted to cave, to apologize for his poisonous words, but he was stubborn. (Luckily Marinette wasn’t an easy crier, or he would have buckled right then and there.)

So he watched her march out, his fact fixed into one of passive disapproval until she was far gone. Even then, it took a few minutes before anyone felt like they could talk. 

“That was not handled well, Demon Spawn,” Todd said, finally breaking the silence. 

“As you are the last person I would ever ask for marriage advice, remind me to never listen to anything you say, Todd.” 

“No, Little D, Jason is right,” Dick said hesitantly. “I understand you were worried about Marinette, but that definitely felt like you were attacking her. You don’t just yell everything someone might be doing wrong at them, especially in front of the entire extended family. That was just… cruel.” 

“I don’t need it from you either, Grayson,” he spat. “Alfred, I’ll be needing a room prepared for me tonight.” 

The elderly man gazed at him, eyes sad. “There is so much about Miss Marinette and the Miraculous that you do not understand, Master Damian. I shall prepare your bedroom for you.” 

Damian could feel his eye begin to twitch as Alfred departed, followed by Bruce who said nothing. He simply gave his son a disappointed look. It hurt more than Damian cared to admit. 

“You’re selling her short,” Drake said, actually pulling his head away from the computer. “These are all things you would have thrown Jon into the middle of without thinking, and she’s just about as indestructible as he is. A number of those abilities and immunities have likely permanently altered her body, not just the suit.”

“And some of those things can’t be faked, Demon Spawn. The girl’s more of a tactical genius than the Replacement,” Jason said before standing up. “By the way, she’s always been too good for you. Let’s hope you didn’t f--”

“Goodnight, Jason,” Dick said, shoving his brother through the door. “Tim, you’re cut off, no more computer tonight. It’s bed time. And Little D, try to get some sleep. You and Marinette are both running on high emotions right now. Let things settle and tomorrow you two can talk when you’re calmer.” 

Damian watched impassively as his brothers left the batcave, leaving him alone with his thoughts. It was a dangerous thing, actually. He found himself with his head in his hands, mind replaying every cruel word he’d said to his precious wife. 

He dragged his hands down his face, willing his thoughts to redirect themselves to any place other than the wounded look in her eyes. That image warred in his mind with the thought of Marinette cold, pale, and lifeless. 

He didn’t know what to do. Marinette was strong, but the thought of what  _ could  _ happen, the thought alone of losing her was almost enough to break Damian. But he knew she wouldn’t stop being Ladybug, and he didn’t know how to process his panic, so it just became anger. 

This was absurd. He was obviously overthinking things. Damian would go to sleep, and when he woke up he would figure out some way to adequately apologize to Marinette, and maybe even get her to see his side of things. It would all be fine. 

It was not all fine. Damian found himself inexplicably lonely that night, and he was barely able to sleep a wink. Then, when he woke up from his fitful sleep he had to deal with the entire family telling him how badly he’d messed up, including a furious Mar’i, who couldn’t stand the thought of him having made her Aunt Nettie cry. 

“Maybe I was too harsh,” Damian admitted, gritting his teeth. “But she’s reckless lately, and I’m not the only one at fault for this fight.” 

“We’re not telling you to give up the fight,” Stephanie said, snagging a bagel. “We’re telling you to go talk to your wife like a grown adult instead of badmouthing her in front of your entire family.” 

“I - have I really been that bad?” 

“Damian,” Bruce said, placing a hand on his shoulder, “we leave dangerous lives, but it’s even worse if we don’t trust each other. Marinette is good for you, she tempers you  _ when you trust her _ . If you want that again you need to go talk to her.” 

When everyone had said their piece, Alfred had all but dumped him out of the house, his expression closed. That alone made some of Damian’s anger die down. He’d never had Alfred so… disappointed in him before. 

So he pondered just what to say to her as he walked home. Would she be angry, sad? Would she cry? Would  _ he  _ cry? The possibilities were endless, but never once did he consider that his wife wouldn’t be there. 

The door was still locked - at least he knew she was still rational enough to care about her safety to that degree. When he’d pushed it open, he called, “Marinette?” 

She was not in the kitchen or the living room, nor was she in the room where she worked on commissions. A pit twisted in his stomach when he pushed open their bedroom door, only to find it similarly empty. 

He wasn’t sure when he had sunk to the ground, but somehow he was sitting on his butt, hugging his knees to his chest. Surely this was some kind of nightmare - he had to be back asleep at Wayne Manor, and his guilt was trying to communicate with him. Damian would wake up and genuinely apologize to his wife, because he was lucky to have her with him in any capacity. 

But he didn’t wake up. He didn’t apologize to his wife, because as long as he waited, she never walked through the door, looking for him. 

Damian had already lost his reason for living.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays everyone! Here's chapter two, have some angst as an early Christmas present.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, I know it’s been FOREVER since I posted anything. I just finished my first semester of grad school, and it was a bit overwhelming to say the least. Oh, I also have a boyfriend now. That’s new, and he does tend to take up some time. But I’m not abandoning my other stories, I just wanted to try something a little different. Long term this is going to be cute, and it’s going to have some hurt/comfort vibes. I know this is really different from what I usually write, so tell me what y’all think.


End file.
